Katie Paris
Katie Paris is a political organizer and former Washington, D.C., political operative. In her TED Democracy Philadelphia talk, she discusses how friendships and local networks can encourage civic participation and increase voter turnout.
Personal Conversations Lift Voter Turnout by Five to Seven Points
Katie Paris argues that campaigns can move voters more effectively by organizing through existing relationships than by relying on messages aimed at strangers. In her TED talk, the founder of Red Wine and Blue says the group’s members start with people they know, build trust through local gatherings and practice, and encourage those contacts to reach others. Paris says an independent analyst found turnout among people members contacted rose by five to seven percentage points, compared with campaigns that spend millions to move turnout by a fraction of a point.
Political Disengagement Cedes Power Over Daily Life
Katie Paris argues that opting out of politics does not remove politics from a person’s life; it cedes power over decisions that shape it. With anti-career coach Danielle Roberts, she makes the case that civic participation begins in local institutions and trusted relationships, while Roberts argues that time, rest, joy and community are necessary to sustain that engagement.